The Unseen Consequences of Delayed Fire Damage Restoration

Lingering Smoke Damage

When you have a fire, you might think the smoke, soot, and damage is largely limited to the area where the flames were, but this isn’t accurate. While the flames in a small fire might stay in one place if extinguished quickly, the smoke will generally affect the entire house. 

Smoke and soot can get into every nook and cranny. It also gets into the walls, ceilings, furniture, and clothing. If it’s not removed right away, it will become increasingly difficult to remove as it penetrates more deeply into the materials, and it might become impossible to get rid of all traces of the smoke smell.

Structural Deterioration

The fire itself can compromise your home’s structures, such as the support beams, walls, and floors. When mixed with water used to fight the fire, though, this is when a lot of weakening occurs. If the building materials are left in their damp, damaged conditions, particularly while materials are still hot from the fire, they can begin degrading at a rapid rate.

Leaving windows open during dry weather can help ventilate the home and allow some of the heat to escape. A fire damage restoration plan will include addressing the issue of structural deterioration promptly.

Mold and Mildew Growth

Another problem often caused by water used to put out the fire rather than the fire itself is mold and mildew growth. Often, a home fire will leave a house without electricity for an extended period of time. When the house becomes warm and humid and water is allowed to sit in dark spaces, it’s very common to have mold and mildew begin taking over quickly.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, mold will grow anywhere there’s moisture, including on paper, cardboard, wood, dust, paints, wallpaper, carpet, upholstery, clothing, and other porous materials. Having restoration started right away can prevent these problems.

Electrical Issues

As I mentioned, most homes will have limited or no electrical power for some period of time after a fire. Sometimes, the issue is that the fire will have physically damaged the circuits, wiring, and outlets. Other times, the fire department will turn off the electrical system to prevent another fire, electrocution (possible when there’s standing water), and other dangers.

Delays in restoration can cause a few burned or soaked wires to turn into widespread corrosion, short circuits, and malfunctions. This will add up to higher costs over time, not to mention the increased risk of sparking a second fire.

Financial Burden

All of these issues can lead to more extensive repairs and a greater financial burden than it would have been to address the fire damage in the first place. In addition to the repair costs, you might end up with medical bills from breathing in smoke- or mold-contaminated air, more time spent in alternative housing, and so on. In some cases, homeowners’ insurance might not cover secondary damage that occurred due to not having fire damage restoration begun in a timely manner.

Conclusion

Getting to work restoring a home after a house fire can feel overwhelming to homeowners, but it’s necessary to avoid the issues I’ve outlined above. The good news is that in this bleak time, people can depend on Standard Restoration to handle everything involved in fire damage restoration. I encourage you to call us as soon as possible after a house fire, preferably immediately after the fire is put out and you’ve made sure everyone in your home is safe. We have quick response times and we’re available 24/7, so there’s no reason to wait – and every reason to call right away.

Source

• https://www.cdc.gov/mold/default.htm